Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game of chance incorporating a game board and a number of playing pieces, the game also including a set of dice, a plurality of defense cards and offense cards as well as 36 playing blocks, the defense cards being supportable upon card holders. The game board has mounted thereon at the center thereof a dice display container which is vertically movable to shake the dice. Push buttons are provided on the game board at each of the players&#39;&#39; locations for shaking the container.

United States Patent 1151 3,659,852 Redict 14 1 May 2, 1972 54 BOARDGAME APPARATUS 3,111,321 11/1963 Hormann ..273/136 E 3 356 369 12/1967Stubbmann. ..273/145 [72] Inventor: Donald E. Redlct, 9433 SouthChamplam,

Chicago I. 60619 3,539,189 11/1970 Shelton ..273/134 C [22] Filed: July31, 1970 Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe AppL No.: 60,041

US. Cl ..273/134 AD, 273/134 D, 273/145 C Int. Cl. ..A63f 3/00 Field ofSearch ..273/134, 136, 145

References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS Vitale ..273/134 C Deatherage..273/134 AB [57] ABSTRACT A game of chance incorporating a game boardand a number of playing pieces, the game also including a set of dice, aplurality of defense cards and offense cards as well as 36 playingblocks, the defense cards being supportable upon card holders. The gameboard has mounted thereon at the center thereof a dice display containerwhich is vertically movable to shake the dice. Push buttons are providedon the game board at each of the players locations for shaking thecontainer.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented May 2, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet lgpdomzg 34,-

//V VE/V 7'02 Dav 740 E 650/67 Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,852

3 Sheets-Sheet z ou W'SH REENS HA5ER S kcA?E UME LOCK TE NEXT H\T' RAlsEP L-OwER AF HAVE A 5m? on ONE E eomzo's SQUARES QBTNN ONE IF EED PLAYER-Hk? ONE OF YOUR $HHS, AIN ONE MOVE FORMJARD ONE HALF THE NUMBER SHow- ONYOUR THROW MOVE FORWARD wuzE THE NUMBER 5H? oh! secoND 1 $6. 051 IN FHAL BQMBNQDMEN SHIP 0N THIRD LlNE Hn' //V VE/V 7"@ 50/440 5. EEQ/ PatentedMay 2, 1972 3,659,852

3 Sheets-Sheet S 1. FREE SPACE 36.YELLOW, RED START ONE SHIP AND BLUE,GRANTED ON 2ND GROUP PASS AND EVERY TH EREAFTER 5 2. HIT ON ONE OF ANYCOLORED SHIPS Paw 3.HIT ON RED GREEN OR BLUE 7 3m INVENTOR DONALD E.EEmc'r BY ATTORNEYS BOARD GAME APPARATUS This invention relatesgenerally to board games.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel boardgame which includes a playing field across which playing pieces maytravel according to a score determined by playing dice, the dice beingthrown by means of pressing a circular button provided on the game boardfor each player.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game wherein acard holder is provided for each player, the card holder being adaptablefor supporting a players defense cards.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a game which issimple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction,easy to use and efiicient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of thefollowing specification together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the game board;

FIG. 2 is a side edge view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a face view showing several of the defense cards;

FIG. 4 is a face view showing several of the offense cards;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of the 36 playing blocks.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a playing piece showing it mounted on thegame board shown fragmentarily in section.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the structureillustrated in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral 10represents a game, according to the present invention, wherein there isa game board 11 made preferably of plastic material and upon which thereis mounted a printed cardboard insert 12 defining a square frame arounda central area, the printed cardboard insert being divided into squares13 each of which is defined and labeled by a progressive numeral 14which begins with the numeral 1 at one corner, and the highest numeral36 being positioned adjacent the numeral 1 square, thus defining thepath for playing pieces.

At the center of the central area 15, there is an upstanding post 16upon which there is mounted a hollow dome 17 made of two transparentoppositely concaved disks which are peripherally attached and withinwhich there are placed a pair of conventional dice 18. The bottomsurface of the lower disk is divided into four quadrants, each of whichis of a different color.

The game board includes a top panel 19 upon the upper side of which aplaying field is drawn, and a bottom panel 20, there being provided acentral space 21 between the upper and lower panels within which thereare positioned four radially extending levers 22 each of which at itsouter end is upwardly turned and extends upwardly through an opening 23in the top panel 19, the upper end thereof being surmounted by a pushbutton knob 24. Thus as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, there are fourpush buttons one of which is provided for each of the players. Theradially inner end of each of the levers 22 is tapered toward a chiselpoint which is positioned adjacent a side edge of post 18A. The post isprovided with a shoulder 24A which surrounds the post and is locatedabove the inner end 25 of the lever so that the lever may abut the samewhen the push button knob 24 is downwardly depressed, thus rocking thelever 22 about a fulcrum 26, thereby imparting an upward jolt to thepost 16. It is to be noted that the lower end of the post is supportedwithin a central opening 27 formed by a collar 28 positioned upon thebottom panel 20. It will now be evident that when a player depresses thepush button knob, this jolt to the post causes the dome 17 to shake thedice 18 causing the dice to be thus thrown and the player can seedownwardly through the dome the number upon the dice which he has shakenfor his scoring. A compression coil spring 29 under the push button knobend of the lever normally urges the lever to return to a startingposition so that a player can then again depress the knob upon asubsequent turn of play.

A card holder 30 is positioned adjacent each one of the push buttonknobs 24, the card holder serving to support the defense cards of aplayer. The card holder is grooved so as to support two cards, no playerbeing allowed to retain more than two cards at a time. The defense cardsare held bya player in order to gain benefit therefrom, it beingnecessary for the drawing player to hold onto the cards in order toprove later in the game that he has actually drawn such a card. Thusmeans are provided for a player to retain cards acquired during thegame.

The present invention also includes a plurality of playing pieces 31,each player being provided with 15 of the playing pieces 31. The playingpieces may be in the shape of space ships, satellites or the like, eachplayer having playing pieces of a different color than an opponentplayer. Thus a player may distinguish his pieces from the pieces of anopponent. These playing pieces are used in advancing the same along thesquares 13 of the cardboard insert path 12. The colors suggested for thedifferent players are: red, green, blue and yellow. Each playing piecemay be three-dimensional and provided with a pair of downwardlyextending pegs 31A which are receivable in a plurality of openingsprovided upon each of the squares 13 of the path 12.

FIG. 6 shows a representative one of the playing pieces 31 mounted onthe central area 15 of the board by downwardly extending pegs 31A whichare received in openings 313 in the board.

Additionally the present game includes a plurality of defense cards 32as shown in FIG. 3. Additionally the present game includes a pluralityof offense cards 33. The cards 33 are illustrated in FIG. 4. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, each of the cards is provided with an imprintedinstruction upon one side thereof and which must be obeyed by a player.Additionally the present game incorporates 36 playing blocks 34, asillustrated in FIG. 5. The playing blocks comprise information which isimprinted upon the game board as shown. In other words, the cardboardinsert 12 has the information shown in FIG. 5 printed thereon with eachnumber of the blocks 34 corresponding to a numbered square on insert 12.

In playing the game, a player depresses the push button knob assigned tohim so as to throw the dice. The number showing on the dice determineshow far around the board the player may move his playing piece. Eachblock has a different outcome varying in the following ways: It dependsupon whose section the player is moving through. Each sector or sectiontends to work to the particular sectors advantage. A double throwentitles a player to another chance or another throw of the dice. Once aplayer uses all of his ships or feels that he has lost all possiblechance to win, he may drop out of the game. In order to win, the playermust try to keep as many of his own ships as possible. Capture of asmany of his opponents ships as possible is desired. Every time a playerpasses the start block, he is awarded another of his lost ships shouldhe have lost any by said time.

Players win and lose at the command of the dice, the board and thecards. Each of the large dark colored section blocks or boxes 36 belongsto a particular player, the red being assigned to the red, the blue tothe blue, and the like. Ships captured by each player are placed in thatcapturing powers dark colored box 36. A player may or may not exchangehis captured ships with another. The exchange can only be between thetwo to which the ships originally belong. At times more than one shipmay be found in any one square. When a player loses all of his ships, heis considered out of the game. During progress of the game, if a playersplaying piece lands on a square marked to pick up a card, he does so andwhich may comprise either a defense or offense card, depending upon theinstructions of the playing field.

Upon occasion, a player may land on a surface placing his fleet ondefense alert. While on such an alert, a player is to a slightadvantage. Such a card will protect the player in his next move. Inother words, if the player loses a ship in his next move, he couldsurrender this card instead of the ship.

Thus there is provided a game with novel design and which incorporates anovel means of shaking dice.

What I now claim is:

1. In a game, the combination of a game board, a plurality of playingpieces for movement upon said game board, a plurality of defense cardsand a plurality of offense cards, the game board having self-containedmeans for determining the amount of travel for said playing pieces uponsaid game board, said game board comprising a generally square playingfield having four sides, said game board being made of plastic materialand upon which there is mounted a printed cardboard insert, said printedcardboard insert being of square frame configuration and having itsupper side imprinted with a plurality of equal squares, each of saidsquares being identified with a different numeral, said numerals beingin sequence between one and 36, the center of said game board beingprovided with an upstanding post supported at its lower end upon a lowerpanel of said game board, an upper portion of said post extendingupwardly through a central opening of an upper panel in spaced relationto said lower panel of said game board, a space within said game boardbetween said upper and lower panels, said space containing four radiallyextending levers each extending toward a respective side, an inner endof each of said levers being positioned beneath a shoulder formed on andaround said post, and an outer end of each of said levers being upwardlyturned and extending upwardly through an opening in said upper panel,the upper end of said lever being provided with a push button knob, anintermediate portion of each of said levers being pivotable about afulcrum supported upon said lower panel so that upon downward movementof said push button knob, the opposite end of said lever bears againstsaid shoulder of said post, and the upper end of said post supporting atransparent dome containing a pair of dice.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein playing pieces areprovided for each of four players of said game, each of said playingpieces being of ship configuration and being provided each with adownwardly extending pair of pegs, said pegs being receivable withinopenings in said game board adjacent said four sides thereof.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein a card holder ispositioned adjacent each of said push button knobs, said card holderbeing adaptable for supporting a pair of said defense cards.

4. In a game, the combination of a game board including a lower paneland an upper panel having a central opening and further openings, saidgame board having a plurality of sides adjacent each of which arespective player may be located, an upstanding post supported at itslower end upon said lower panel and extending upwardly through saidcentral opening, said post having a shoulder formed thereon, a pluralityof radially extending levers each extending between said panels toward arespective one of said sides, each of said levers having an inner endpositioned beneath said shoulder and an outer end which is upwardlyturned and extends upwardly through a respective one of said furtheropenings, each of said outer ends constituting a push button, aplurality of fulcrums each supported on said bottom panel, each of saidlevers being pivoted about a respective one of said fulcrums wherebyupon downward movement of a push button the inner end of the associatedlever bears against the shoulder of said post, and a dice-containingtransparent dome mounted on the upper end of said post.

5. The combination of claim 4 additionally comprising a plurality ofsprings each located beneath the outer end of a respective one of saidlevers and biasing the outer end of said lever away from said lowerpanel.

6. The combination of claim 5 additionally comprising a collar fixed tosaid lower panel and surrounding the lower end of said post.

1. In a game, the combination of a game board, a plurality of playingpieces for movement upon said game board, a plurality of defense cardsand a plurality of offense cards, the game board having self-containedmeans for determining the amount of travel for said playing pieces uponsaid game board, said game board comprising a generally square playingfield having four sides, said game board being made of plastic materialand upon which there is mounted a printed cardboard insert, said printedcardboard insert being of square frame configuration and having itsupper side imprinted with a plurality of equal squares, each of saidsquares being identified with a different numeral, said numerals beingin sequence between one and 36, the center of said game board beingprovided with an upstanding post supported at its lower end upon a lowerpanel of said game board, an upper portion of said post extendingupwardly through a central opening of an upper panel in spaced relationto said lower panel of said game board, a space within said game boardbetween said upper and lower panels, said space containing four radiallyextending levers each extending toward a respective side, an inner endof each of said levers being positioned beneath a shoulder formed on andaround said post, and an outer end of each of said levers being upwardlyturned and extending upwardly through an opening in said upper panel,the upper end of said lever being provided with a push button knob, anintermediate portion of each of said levers being pivotable about afulcrum supported upon said lower panel so that upon downward movementof said push button knob, the opposite end of said lever bears againstsaid shoulder of said post, and the upper end of said post supporting atransparent dome containing a pair of dice.
 2. The combination as setforth in claim 1 wherein 15 playing pieces are provided for each of fourplayers of said game, each of said playing pieces being of shipconfiguration and being provided each with a downwardly extending pairof pegs, said pegs being receivable within openings in said game boardadjacent said four sides thereof.
 3. The combination as set forth inclaim 2, wherein a card holder is positioned adjacent each of said pushbutton knobs, said card holder being adaptable for supporting a pair ofsaid defense cards.
 4. In a game, the combination of a game boardincluding a lower panel and an upper panel having a central opening andfurther openings, said game board having a plurality of sides adjacenteach of which a respective player may be located, an upstanding postsupported at its lower end Upon said lower panel and extending upwardlythrough said central opening, said post having a shoulder formedthereon, a plurality of radially extending levers each extending betweensaid panels toward a respective one of said sides, each of said levershaving an inner end positioned beneath said shoulder and an outer endwhich is upwardly turned and extends upwardly through a respective oneof said further openings, each of said outer ends constituting a pushbutton, a plurality of fulcrums each supported on said bottom panel,each of said levers being pivoted about a respective one of saidfulcrums whereby upon downward movement of a push button the inner endof the associated lever bears against the shoulder of said post, and adice-containing transparent dome mounted on the upper end of said post.5. The combination of claim 4 additionally comprising a plurality ofsprings each located beneath the outer end of a respective one of saidlevers and biasing the outer end of said lever away from said lowerpanel.
 6. The combination of claim 5 additionally comprising a collarfixed to said lower panel and surrounding the lower end of said post.